Daughter of Mine
by Yuiitsu Sakka
Summary: *COMPLETE* Itachi and Sakura are married and on the run from Sasuke and Naruto. What happens when Itachi thinks its safer for Sakura and their unborn child for him to disappear from existence? ItachixSakura I DO NOT OWN THE ANIME OR IT'S CHARACTERS!
1. Sayanara, my Sakura

Hey, Pagan Youkai here! This is my very first Itachi _**x **_Sakura story so be nice! By the way, I LIVE off reviews so...FEED ME!!!!!!! For those who are kinda emotional, just gonna give you a heads up 'cause I almost cried during this chapter. Well, without further ado...

Chapter !:

Sayanara, My Sakura

Everything hurt, but none so much as her heart. She didn't want to come back. There was nothing but empty memories. And then, after they dragged her all the way back here, they dared, they DARED to tell her that she was brain washed, that it was all the Sharingan, that she wasn't really in love!

Hot tears started to roll down her check as she remembered.

Flashback

Her legs ached from running. She had to give herself credit, though, she was in very good shape for an 8 month pregnent women, but they had been running from Sasuke and Naruto for hours now.

She stopped in the middle of the path to catch her breath and Itachi stopped beside her, panting as he did so.

"Sakura, do you fell well, does anything hurt?" he asked worriedly. She was extremely close to the end of her pregnancy and he wasn't taking any chances.

"I'm fine Itachi, just my legs, but I'm not sure how much longer I can keep running."

He then knew that this was it, they couldn't run anymore. He had to hide her, then he would face Sasuke on his own.

Suddenly, he picked her up bridal style and launched into the tree's where he set her down on a wide thick branch. He was about to turn and leave when she pulled him in for a chaste but passtionate kiss. After a few moments, he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.

"Ashiteru, my Itachi."

"Ashiteru, dear Sakura."

With that, he jumped off and ran in the other direction, luring Sasuke away from Sakura.

For a few minutes there was silence, but then she heard them. Running down the path were Sasuke and Naruto.

As they ran past, Naruto stopped.

"Naruto, c'mon we have to hurry or we'll lose them."

"You go on, I'll catch up!"

Sasuke nodded and ran off in the direction that Itachi went in.

"You can come out now. Sakura."

"Naruto."

Very carefully she climbed down out of the tree and hugged her friend. That's when Naruto noticed the fact that she was pregnent.

" So it's true?"

"Yeah, It's true." She said putting her hands on her hips as if to say, 'Gotta problem with that!'

"You're really carrying Itachi's baby?"

"Why shouldn't I be? I'm married to him aren't I?" Sakura yelled in frustration. It had been over a year since she ran away to ask Itachi to train her, and he STILL couldn't get it through his thick skull. 'Though I can't blame him, it's pretty hard to beleive that we fell in love and got married.'

"Sakura, I..." but he was cut short by the sounds of fighting.

"Itachi!" Sakura ran off in the direction that the fighting was coming from.

There, she saw Sasuke fighting Itachi. It was a bloody dance of spining kicks and punches. They were equaly matched, but Itachi, mometarily distracted by Sakura's presence, never saw the punch aimed for his gut.

Itachi fell to his knees spitting the blood out of his mouth. Sasuke lifted him up by the collar of his shirt and hissed in his ear,

"Where's your hate now Itachi?"

"I have no use for it anymore, I have found the limit of my potential." He looked softly over to Sakura who had tears in her eyes and whispered,

"Sayanara, my Sakura. I'll come for you."

With that he kicked of Sasuke's chest and flipped over the edge of the cliff into the waters below.

"ITACHI!!!!!!!!!"

The sound of his name was the only thing either of them herd before everything went black.

End Flashback

A/N You like? Tell me! REVEIW, REVEIW, REVEIW!!!!!!!


	2. Only in my Dreams

Hey, PY here! sry I haven't updated in a while. Many thanks to **Singing is fun** and **buzzk97** for the reviews! I will also be introducing my lil' sis, Momo.

Momo: what is up my home spillit gisket. And please keep sending reviews. (whisper she hits me less when she's happy! )

PY: hits momo over head And now to commence with the story, hehe!

Quote of the day!: "Hey diddle diddle, there's shit in my fiddle!" – Pagan Youkai

Disclaimer: sleeping zzzzzzzzz...mmm, copy rights...zzzzz...Oh, no! Lawyers!!...zzzzzzz...NO PLEASE DON'T SUE!!!...wakes up sweating bullets It was just a dream! breaks down crying

Chapter:

Only in my Dreams

"_Sakura...Sakura." someone called her name in a sing-song voice. It was distant and...dreamy, not like 'handsome' dreamy, more like dream dreamy. Whatever it sounded like, she would know that voice anywhere!_

"_Itachi?"_

_She looked around. It was like a dream. she was in a feild of white flowers. The sun was setting in the west, giving everything a golden hue._

"_Sakura" _

_He appeared only 10 ft. from where she was. She ran to him, but as soon as she reached out to touch him, everything went black, then reappeared in front of the waterfall where he had fallen. He was standing there looking down at the river far below. _

"_Itachi" He turned around to look at her. His face was impassive as always, but the look in his deep black eyes was enough to make her heart wrench._

'_NO,' she thought', Not again, please, not again!' _

_She stepped toward him._

'_Maybe I can stop him, maybe it's not too late. Maybe,' she took another step, but before she could go any closer..._

"_NO!"_

_Itachi fell backwards off the cliff just like the first time, only this time, Sakura jumped after him. She fell, faster, faster, but just before she could reach out and grab him..._

Sakura sat straight up in the hospital bed.

"It was...a dream." She said to herself calmly. She suddenly buried her face in her hands.

"Oh, if only it was all a dream!" she tearlessly sobbed. She was quickly snapped out of her misery when she heard a hurried knock at the door.

"Who is it?"

"Sakura! It's me, Hinata!"

'Hinata!' She quickly opened the door and was wrapped in a bone crushing hug by her friend.

"Hinata...you're...ugh...crushing me!"

She quickly let go of the girl who, apparently, was desperately struggling for breath.

"Sorry! Oh, Sakura it's been so LONG! And OMG, are you PREGNANT!!!!"

"No, it's a cancerous tumor, OF COURSE I'M PREGNANT!!!"

"Which is why you probably shouldn't be yelling so loud, stress is bad for the baby you know." Just then, Ino walked in, surprising the hell out of Sakura.

"INO!!!" Sakura wrapped her in another bone crushing hug till Ino's eyes looked has if they would pop right out of her head if anymore pressure was applied. When she noticed this, she quickly let go of the girl.

Once she had caught her breath, "So, when did you end up all prego?"

Sakura lightly slapped Ino on the arm.

"Uchiha-chan."

"Yes"

"The results are back from the search by the river."

"...And..."

"We couldn't find anything, except this." The Shinobi handed him a black headband with a deep scratch across the sign of the Hidden Leaf Village.

"There's probably a 90 chance that your brothers al-"

"Don't, he's no longer my brother." Sasuke interrupted coldly.

"Right, sorry. But like I said, there's only a 10 chance that he's alive."

With that, the Shinobi turned and left.

"She's going to be devastated." Naruto said as he walked up behind Sasuke.

Sasuke dropped the headband into Naruto's hand.

"You tell her. Crying women annoy me."

A/N: REVIEW, REVIEW REVIEW!!!

Taylor, this is excellent! From one who is not even a fan of fan fiction, this story is gripping, intriguing, I DEFINITELY want to know the rest of the story!

**Oh, and by the way, your proofreader/editor is excellent and deserves a raise... or at least a cake with Japanese writing on it.Oh, yeah, I already got one of those, didn't I? **

But mom... I don't pay you!


	3. Kanashimi

Yo! What is up my home spillet gisket(s)! PY here! Not much to say so...(By the way, Kanashimi means sadness)

Quote of the Day: What... Buns? Who's Buns? GERARD'S BUNS!!!!!!!- **Pagan Youkai **(Joke between me and my friend Sarah! hehe. By the way, it's the MCR Gerard!)

Chapter#:

Kanashimi

Naruto stood outside of Sakura's room in the hospital. His hand felt like lead as he lifted it to knock on the door, holding the headband of the surly dead Uchiha in the other.

'Kami, how am I going to do this!' he mentaly screamed as his shaking hand struggled at the simple motion.

"You can come in Naruto." she said from inside the room.

Naruto slowly turned the door knob and pushed open the door.

"How did you-"

"I could feel your chakura outside the door. What is it?" she turned to look back at him.

Naruto didn't know what to tell her. The love of her life, the man she wanted to spend the rest of it with, the father of her unborn child, was dead. And it was all his falt, if only he had tried harder to stop Sasuke...

"Naruto, what is it?"

He showed her the headband.

"Sakura, I'm so sorry."

She gasped. In his his hand was Itachi's headband, and in that moment, she knew exactly why he was appologising. She took the headband out of his grasp and ran a trembling thumb over the metal plate wiping away the dirt that was on it.

"If there's anything-"

"No. Just go." she said in a cold, trembling voice.

Naruto hung his head and walked out the door, closing it as he did so.

Sakura didn't want to cry. It made her feel weak and volnerable. But she had to get her sadness out some way, or she was sure she would explode from grief. So, in the end, she held her only remaining peice of him and...

...she screamed

Sasuke heard the scream just as Naruto walked through the door.

"So, I'm guessing you told her." Sasuke said in an emotionless voice.

"Yeah, I told her."

Silence.

"Hey, Sasuke. How does it feel."

"How does what feel?"

"Revenge."

He seemed to think for a moment.

"Pft, like I would tell you."

"Well, what ever it feels like, I hope it was worth it."

"Worth what?" Sasuke snapped irratably.

"Breaking her heart again."

Sasukes eye's widened slightly, then he looked down.

"Whatever, I'm going out." He left, slamming the door behind him and leaving Naruto alone in the room.

'I really hope it was worth it.'


	4. In the Years to Come

**hey, sry it's been awhile, I've been on a GaaraxHinata phase latly. It's just that they're such a cute couple! Plus Yesterday was my Birthday and I'm now 14 years old! We went to a Japanese joint and I got the Nigiri Deluxe. It had all kinds of different Sushi and Samashi on it and one that looked like dog throw-up and large fish eggs.(EEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!) My dad bet $20 that I couldn't eat it. Well lets just say I won the bet. Come to find out later that it was Sea Urchin and Salmon Roe (Salmon Eggs), any way, hope you like the chapter!**

**P.S. Instead of a quote, I have a song.**

**Song: Desert Rose- Sting (I have Gaara and Hinata in mind every time I listen to it!)**

Chapter $

In the Years to Come

**1 Month Passes- **

Sakura took a deep breath and pushed as hard as she could.

'Kami, it's like giving birth to a ROCK!' she screamed inside her head as she herd Ino tell her to push harder.

"Would you please stop saying that, I'm pushing as hard as I can!"

Sakura screamed and a seconed later she herd the Medical nin say it was a girl.

She handed Sakura the surprisingly quiet baby.

"Um...is there anything wrong with her, she's so quiet. I thought babies were supose to cry when they're born." Ino asked.

"On occastion, some babies are born and do not cry. But rest assured she is a perfectly heathy baby girl."

"Good" Sakura breathed happily.

"So, what are yo gonna name her?"

Sakura thought a seconded, "...Aiko."

"Beloved," said the medical nin as she nodded her head writing down the name " that's a good name."

as the medical nin walked out, she barly doged Hinata as she ran in the room with her own red headed baby bouncing on her hip.

'Wait...RED HEADED!!!'

"Hinata, who's baby is that?" Sakura asked, not believing what she was about to hear.

"Mine and Gaara's."

"WHAT, WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU AND NARUTO?!?!?!?!!?" Sakura yelled/asked.

"Well, we decided that it wasn't working out and broke up, but we're still close friends, we just decided to stay that way. Soon after the break up, my father told me of an aranged marrage with Gaara to create a bond with the Sand Village and the Hidden Leaf Village. Well, thankfully we acctualy started to like each other and eventually fell in love and had little Ichiro here." Hinata said gesturing the last part to the baby on her hip.

'Wow, I didn't think it would ever be possible!' Sakura thought in awe.

Just then Aiko and Ichiro both looked at each other and started laughing.

**5 Year Later-**

" HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR AIKO! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!

The girl with black hair and pink streaks going through it closed her eyes and blough out her candles on the birthday cake.

She opened her eye's to see Ichiro smiling and handing her a present wrapped in black paper with a pink bow on top.

"Here, Aiko open mine first!" He wasn't usually this excited, but he was so sure that she would love the present he picked for her.

She wondered at the hot pink bow against the shiny black paper, but curiosity and excitment took her over as she tore open the paper and tossed aside te bow, opening a box to reveal a snow white dragon plushie.

"KAWIIIIII!!!!" She squeeled as she ran over and squeezed Ichiro in an tight hug.

'Aiko-chan is hugging me!!!!' he thought blushing furiously.

'I'm hugging Ichiro-kun!!!' She thought as she, too, blush the shade of a rose.

Quickly sobering, they broke apart, both faces still the shade of a beet.

**2 Years Pass-**

"Mama, do you have any batteries?"

"Yeah, there should be some in my dresser, do you need help to get them?"

"No, I can do it."

Aiko ran into her mothers room and reached up to pull open the top drore. She felt around to the bottom and felt an odd slick paper make contact with her hand. She Pulled out the paper and looked at it.

There was a young woman who looked to be her mother. But next to her stode a man that seemed familiar, but she didn't recognize him directly. He had long back hair about mid- shoulderblade length pulled back into a low pony tail. He had black eye's just like her's and the facial lines under his eye's looked alot like her's too. Then it hit her, Aiko wasn't stupid, she knew this was her father. The man her mother never talked about. Just then she herd her mother call. She snatched up the picture, completely forgetting about the batteries. She would confront her about this later.

**A/N: hehe, cliffe. I thought about doing more but decided to end it here!**

**Ja ne!**

**PY**


	5. Questions Answered

**Ahhhh...now thats more like it. Well you're lucky I have a kind heart. Thank ****sonicrider14**** for this chapter. So here you go...**

**Quote of the day: "****Grief can be a prison, but the bonds of love are not easily broken."- By Resmiranda from ****Tales from the House of the Moon,**** a SessKag FanFic.**

Aiko sat on the swing at the playground kicking her legs back and forth, wondering about the solemn, yet seemingly happy man in the picture.

'Was he a criminal, is that why mother doesn't talk about him?'

It was true she had never heard her mother speak of him before. She had been teased about it, but never gave it much thought. She took the picture from the kunai pouch to inspect the familiar yet unfamiliar features of the man her mother was smiling so happily with. She wasn't sure, but she had an uneasy feeling about the story behind his absence from her life.

'Where are you? WHO are you?'

"Aiko!" Sakura called from the house, "It's time for dinner!"

Aiko quickly put the picture back in her kunai pouch, and started towards the house. She would ask tonight.

She sat with her head resting on her hand, stirring around a bowl of ramen with her chopsticks.

"Is something wrong Aiko?"

"Kaa-san, who's my father?" she asked, trying to study the reaction she would get from her mother.

Silence...

Aiko was starting to get worried. Was it really that bad? She thought back on what the other kids had teased her about. They had said he was a bad man, that he murdered a lot of people, that he was an no good S- class criminal, part of an organization bent on world domination.

When she spoke she could feel her voice shake.

"Was he a bad man, Kaa-san? Is that why you won't talk about him?"

The tears she was trying so hard to hold back spilled over, falling on the picture that she was secretly holding under the table. Across from her, Sakura got up and walked over to her daughter. Aiko looked at her, tears still in her eyes. She gasped when her mother suddenly wrapped her in a big warm hug.

"I don't ever want you to say or think that again, ok. Your father loved you and I very very much. And I'm sure that if anything could have stopped what happened, he would be here right now." Sakura whispered into her ear, tears now rolling down her cheeks also.

"But he's not, Kaa-san. Why?" Aiko whimpered as she buried her face in Sakura's chest.

"Because... he died." she said hesitently, wondering if she was big enough to handle the fact that her father was dead and she would never get to see him.

Aiko pulled away from her mother and stared at her with fresh tears in her eyes.

"How?"

Sakura sighed. She knew she would have to tell her one day, and knew it would be better to tell her now than later.

"It was just a month before you born. We were running from..." Sakura wasn't sure what to tell her. She didn't want to say it was Sasuke and Naruto, 'cause then she'd hate them for sure. She was ok with Naruto, in fact, he was like a father to her. But she was already starting to dislike her uncle. 'Like father like daughter.' she sighed inwardly.

"Well, who was it?" she asked impatiently. I mean, this was only the story of her father's demise.

"...Some rogue ninja. We had been running for hours and I finally stopped to catch my breath when your father picked me up and put me in a tree. He kissed me goodbye and ran in the other direction, leading the rogue ninja away from me and you. When I heard fighting, I couldn't help myself. Worry took over my better judgement and I ran towards the sound. Distracted by my presence, one of them got him down. Picking him up, they said something that I couldn't hear and he told me he loved me and that he would come for us, before he... before he..."

"Before he what, BEFORE HE WHAT!?!?" Aiko shouted frantically, shaking her mother slightly by the shoulders.

"Before he jumped off the edge into the river below." she finished in a shaky hushed voice.

Aiko, who had been standing in front of her kneeling mother, fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands, letting out a cry of despair. Sakura wrapped her arms around her shaking daughter and held her close.

"Shh, shh, it's ok. He knew I would never leave without him, so he did it to protect us. There's nothing we can do about it now."

Aiko pulled away just enough to look at her mother.

"But, but he said he would come back for us...right, so there's still a chance."

Sakura shook her head.

"No, he's gone, and there is nothing we can do. But I want you to have something."

She went into her room and came back with a black headband with a scratch across the Hidden Leaf emblem.

Aiko gasped when it was placed in her hands.

"Was he a rogue ninja too?"

"Yes, but he never hurt anyone unless it was necessary."

She looked down at the object in her hands that was the only thing left of her father.

"I don't care. As long as he loved us," she said tying it around her neck " I'll wear it with pride."

Sakura chuckled as she stood up and ruffled Aiko's hair. She walked into the living room, but turned around.

"Oh, by the way, you can keep that picture too."

Aiko smiled and followed her mother into the livingroom.

**Wow I actualy cried writing this. Sniff Sniff I hope you enjoyed, I'll try to update later this weekend. Oh, and in the Middle of writing this I had to go to the mall to buy my friend a birthday present and got a Eureka 7 T-shirt on clearance. It was at Hot Topic (Best freakin store in the world). Well anyway and stuff, so...**

**Ja ne!**

**PY**


	6. I'm here for you

**Gomen Nasai!!!!!!! I'm sooooooo sorry for not updating in such a long time, but that's life for ya.**

**Quote of the Day: "Ya know what! SCREW YOU!!!"- Pagan Youkai**

**Song of the Day: "Haunted"- Evanescence ( Perfect ItaSaku song!!)**

Chapter

I'm here for you

Aiko sat on the Swings next to Ichiro.

"...Yeah so, I guess that's kinda why I don't have a dad."

"Wow, I'm really sorry about that. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have my dad there for me."said the young boy as he looked down at his feet holding an old teddy bear in one arm and holding onto the swing with the other.

"It's ok. It's not like I know him enough to really miss him that much." But she was lying. It wasn't ok, because she was never going to see him, ever.

Ichiro looked at his friend just in time to see tears well up in her eyes. He was at a loss. His best friend was crying and he didn't know what to do. So he did the one thing that his mother or father would do for him.

Aiko soon found herself envaloped in a big hug.

"It's ok, at least I'm here for you."

The tears that threatened to spill over did just that as she wrapped her arms around her best friend.

"Thanks Ichiro, that really means alot."

After a few minutes they pulled away. Then he noticed that it was starting to get dark.

"Well, It's starting to get dark. Want me to walk you home, Aiko?"

"That's ok, I think I'll stay here for awhile since my house isn't to far away."

"Ok...well I'll see you later then."

Ichiro left with an uneasy felling but left nontheless.

Aiko sat for a few minutes and just when she was about to get up and leave she felt a stone hit her back. She fell to the ground with a thud.

"Well if it isn't the freak. What are you doing out here all by yourself in the dark, being freaky." came the winy voice of Gaki, the village brat.

"Wow, what an incredibly original insult." She said in a sarcastic tone. Of course, she never did know when to keep her mouth shut.

"GET'ER!" Screamed Gaki as her and her fallowers through rocks at her.

Aiko was deffensless as stone after stone pounded away at her body. Just when she thought she was going to be stoned to death she herd the sound of a stone hitting a skull and a thud on the ground next to her. She opened her eyes to a horrifying sight. There, lying motionless on the ground, was Ichiro.

"Oh man, we're gonna be in sooooooo much trouble!" One of the boys said.

"Yeah, c'mon lets get outta here before we get cought!"

With that they all ran off, leaving Aiko alone in the dark.

Almost past out, she craled towards the body of her best friend and noticed quite a bit of blood seping from a nasty gash in the side of his head.

"Ichiro..." She whispered before she calapsed on top of his body. She just managed to hear someone rushing to them before she past out.

**How was that? I hope you liked it and I gretly appriciate the reveiws, especialy from ****sonicrider14****. Thanks Alot! Keep on with the reveiws people!**

**Ja ne!**

**PY**


	7. Always

**INSPIRATION!!!! Also I'm holding an AMV contest. If you can make an AMV on Youtube about this story, send me the URL in a reveiw. You have til March 25****th**** to make the best ItaSaku AMV that you can. The Winners will be posted on April Fool's Day (April 1****st**** ) GOOD LUCK!!!**

**Song of the Day: "I'm lost without you"- Blink 182**

**Quote of the Day: "Those who think they know everything annoy those of us who DO!!!!"- Frannky's T-shirt**

Chapter &

...Always

Aiko woke up to the sound of her heart moniter andmurmuring outside the hospital room door. As she gained contiousness, the voices became clearer.

"Are you sure you don't know who called the med-nins? I would like to thank them."

The sound of her mother's voice drifted through her fogged brain.

"Yes, we are sure. Whoever the person was made sure to be completly annonomus."

"Hm."

They opened the door and when they noticed she was awake Sakura ran over to her daughter.

"Oh. I'm so glad you're finally awake!" She said bending down to kiss her daughter on the cheek. That's when Aiko remembered.

"Oh! Where Ichiro, is he ok, was he hurt to bad, is he...dead." She said the last part at a quivering whisper.

"No, he's not dead, but the condition he's in isn't much better."

"What!" Aiko gasped. What was she talking about?! Was he going to be ok?!

"He was knocked uncontious and is suffering from severe head trama and a concusion." the med- nin said solumly.

"Oh no," She whispered "May I go see him?"

"Well, it looks like you will be ok, you've been out for a couple of days so I should really keep you in bed, but...I guess you can visit him."

"**Merushi!" (another word for Thank You)**

**Aiko jumped out of bed and ran down the hall. She searched in almost every room, and when she got to Ichiro's she almost burst into tears. It wasn't that he looked bad, it was just that she almost expected him to turn his head and give her that goofy smile that was saved espeicialy for her. When he didn't she almost couldn't bear it.**

**He was so still, almost as if he was dead. The only indication that he wasn't was the heart moniter and his chest moving up and down slightly. She walked hesitatingly towards him. It scared her a little to see him like this. And deep in her heart, she new...**

**It was all her falt.**

**Tears made hot tracks down her face as she stepped up to the side of the bed and spoke softly to him.**

**"Ichiro, why didn't you keep going, why didn't you run home, why did you deffend me and put yourself in harms way, WHY WERE YOU SO STUPID ICHIRO!!!"**

**No answer.**

**She laid her head in his lap and sobbed.**

**Then, she heard a voice, cracked as if from disuse.**

**"Because you are my friend and I'll always be there for you."**

**He closed his eye's and the heart moniter gave one last beep before the dreaded shrill sound rang throughout the room.**

**"Ichiro...Ichiro! ICHIRO!"**

**A medical nurse ran in. **

**"Damn! Someone get her out of here! Hurry, someone get the doctor!"**

**Aiko was shoved out of the room.**

**_No._**

**"CLEAR!"**

**_This can't be happening._**

**"CLEAR!"**

_He can't be dead._

"Doctor we're not getting a reasponse."

_He shouldn't die!_

"Call it."

"NOOOOOOOO!"

Aiko ran as fast as she could, away from the hospital, away from the doctors, away from Ichiro. She ran long and hard til she was outside the gates of Kohana. She ran a few more miles and just as she was about to calapse from exaustion, she ran right into a tall dark figure.

The clouds were covering the moon, so all she could see the outline of what appeared to be a tall male of some sort. But the rest of his body was shrowded by a black cloak.

"Where, are you running to?" The male asked in a deep smooth voice, so as not to scare her. The sound of it made shivers run up and down her spine nonetheless.

"Um, n-nowhere."

"There is no need to be scared. Tell me where you live, and I will return you home."

"No! I-I mean, I don't want to go home."

"...May I ask why?"

Aiko looked down, not wanting to trust this complete stranger, but something about him felt...familiar.

"Very well, you may travel with me if you want to."

There was that feeling again...

"...O-okay."

As she fallowed him down the path, the moon came out of the clouds just long enough for her to notice a long ash black braid swinging back and forth in front of her.

**Okay so that should be enough drama to last you for a while, don't ya think. And for those of you who I'm sure have guessed who it is, YES he has a braid. I mean it's been like what, 7 or 8 years, I bet you it's grown. Besides I think a braid would look good on him. DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CONTEST!!! Start's now and ends March 25****th**** so that'll give me some time to pick a winner before school starts again! GOOD LUCK and for those who don't know how to make one, you can go to and make one there!**

**Til' Next Time**

**Ja ne!**

**PY! **


	8. All This Time

Yays I'm so happy that you guys liked it

**Yays I'm so happy that you guys liked it! That really makes my day! I'm sorry for killing of Ichiro, but I have my reasons. I've been having a crappy week and my suck. FOUR F'S! I'm mean come on now what kind of crap is that. So if I don't update for a while after this, at least you know why.**

**Song of the Day: "Into the Night"- Nickleback and Santana (Kami, I love this Song!)**

**Quote of the Day: **

"**Why kill yourself trying, when it's so much easier to give up."-Pagan Youkai**

**Chapter **

**All this time**

He looked back periodically to see if she was ok. They had been walking for hours and he expected to see her fall over at any moment, but every time he looked back she was still walking upright and deep in thought.

'Just like her mother.' He thought with a smirk on his face.

He knew who she was the whole time, and it was no coincidence that they just happen to run into each other. He had been watching over them ever since the week Aiko was born. He was also the one to get help from the Med- nins when the fight broke out. He wanted to take her himself and make sure she was ok, but in order for his plan to have worked, he had to keep himself hidden until just the right moment. He watched her witness the young boys death, and followed until they were out of Konoha. That's when he silently jumped out of the tree a few yards away to meet her on the path. He asked to take her home only to see if she wanted to go back. He had already been planning to take her with him, but only if she was willing.

He looked back again to see her about to fall over and caught her before she hit the forest floor. He herd her soft snores and chuckled a little as he picked her up bridal style and continued walking.

When they arrived at their destination, Aiko was still sound asleep in his arms. As he stept into the lights of the camp fire he was greeted by Kisame, Deidara and Tobi.

Kisame, being his partner and companion, stayed with him even after the fall of the Akatsuki. Deidara and Tobi did the same and joined them a little afterwards.

"Hey, Itachi! What kept you so long, I was about to think you were either dead or captured!" He said, getting out another bottle of sake.

"Kisame, keep your voice down, yeah!" Deidara hissed.

"Why?" He asked, then Deidara nodded to the sleeping figure.

"Oh, oh! Who is she?" Tobi asked excitedly as Itachi layed his cloak on the ground and set her down on it.

"Yeah, Itachi? Who's the brat?" Kisame asked, taking a sip of sake.

Itachi sat down and stared into the fire.

"She's my daughter."

Kisame spit the sake into the fire making it flare and making Tobi and Diedara jump up of the ground.

"WHAT?!"

"SHHHHH!" Hissed Tobi and Deidara in unison.

"You've got to be joking!" Kisame whispered.

Itachi looked at him with his usual expressionless façade. He expected Kisame to react like this.

"Where are Hidan and Kakuzu?"

This time Tobi spoke up.

"Oh, them? They went to find work in the next town. We were running short on supplies and money and Tobi is tired of sleeping on the ground."

They all staired but their gazes turned to Aiko when she started to shift in her sleep.

"Just as well, we probably should find somewhere to sleep tonight. The nights are starting to get colder and I don't want her to get sick. Her amunsystem is probably down from all the stress."

"Stress?" Deidara asked worriedly, such a young child shouldn't have so much stress in her life.

"When I found her it was just outside of Konoha, which is several hours from here, and she had already been exhausted. She had run away after she watched her compainion die in the hospital."

"Oh..." he whispered horsly. No, someone so young really didn't need anymore stress in their life.

"Awwwwwwwwww, That's so _SAD_!!" Tobi cried dramaticly.

"SHUT UP TOBI, YEAH!!"

A rock collided with Tobi's head making the tears come faster but quieter.

"G-gomen s-s-sempai." He sobbed rubbing the red bump on his head.

Kisame and Itachi almost sweat dropped at the rediculous site.

Suddenly snapping out of it, Tobi asked cheerfully, "So, where are we going to stay tonight?"

**Also for lack of participation the contest was canceled. Ok and also to answer some Questions...**

**Q: "Why did Ichiro have to die?"**

**A: It sets the stage for the rest of the story, beleive me I tryed to think of alot of other sinairioes but this one had the intended turnout.**

**Also I changed the Title of the story because it was kinda getting off track, and rather than to put it back on track I just decided to change it! **


	9. Where am I and WHO are YOU?

Hey guy's, just to let you know that I'm starting to go by Yuiitsu Sakka now on FF

**Hey guy's, just to let you know that I'm starting to go by Yuiitsu Sakka now on and Single Spark, I just can't change it on media miner. but anyway, I AM getting GOOD GRADES now if you can beleive it! I have a **_**100 A IN MATH!!**_

**This is really exciting for me and I'm trying my best to keep it up!! My Okka- san is letting me on everyday right after I get HMW done so there's a possibility that I'll be able to update more often. And for you ppls who are also SessKag fans, I just got done writing a One- shot for them so if you want to read and review...yeah! **

**Song of the Day: "Broken"- Seether feat. and Amy Lee**

**Quote of the Day: "OMJ!!(Oh My Jashin)"-Tobi and Yuki (me and my sister)**

Chapter(

Where am I and WHO are YOU!!

Aiko woke up in an unfamiliar territory that morning. She hadn't opened her eyes yet but she had a felling that she wouldn't like what she was going to see.

She didn't.

Aiko opened her eyes and was imediatly affronted with orange.

She screamed.

There was running coming from outside her door and it burst open revealing the situation. Itachi, Deidara, and Kisame staired at Tobi, who was crumpled on the floor clutching his head in pain, then at Aiko who stil had her fist raised and was heaving in heavy breathes.

"Tobi, what did you do?" Itachi said menasingly.

"HE NEARLY GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK, THAT'S WHAT!" Then Aiko turned her head to tell them off for letting him in her room when she was struck dumb.

"D-Dad!?" Her eyes were as round as saucers, and Itachi felt his heart swell at hearing the name directed at him. He looked into her hopefilled eyes.

"Why, do you assume as much?" He said trying his hardest not to let any emotion slip into his voice.

She almost flinched at his lack of emotion, but she reached into her breast binding and pulled out the old, crumpled picture. He walked over and took it gently from her hands, she was shaking slightly, from from excitment or shock he could not tell.

He gently unfolded the picture, so as not to rip it. There were two people in the picture, one was Sakura, the other was him. He hadn't even known that she had taken this picture with her when they left their house in the medow by the orchard of Sakura trees so many years ago.

"And if that doesn't convince you," she paused to take off the head protector still tied around her neck. "then this should."

The picture was more than enough, but the fact that she had an acctual piece of him with her at all times made his heart swell that much more.

He took one hand under hers and one on top of the head protecter.

"No, I want you to keep it. The picture was more than enough."

But just as he moved to stand, she spoke in a small unsure voice.

"Um...D-dad? Can...can I have a hug?"

She looked up at him with big hopfull eyes, begging not to be denied. And how could he, sure enough he leaned down and wrapped his arms around her. She wrapped hers around him and snuggled into her fathers embrace for the first time in her life. And for the first time in her life...she was complete.

Pulling away, he kissed her lightly on the forehead and stood up fully.

"Now get some rest, we will wake you in a few hours for lunch."

She nodded, but before he left te room, he turned to Tobi.

"Oh, and when I said watch over her, I didn't mean it quite so literally."

"Sorry, senpai."

"Hn."

She had met her father, the man who was absent throughout her whole life, she finally found him.

Most people would have probably freaked out and ruined a wonderful reunion, but she wasn't stupid. She new he must have had his reasons for being alive this whole time and never coming to find them. Besides, her mother even said that he had sacraficed himself for their safty.

She decided not to think of that now. She was tired, she wanted to go to sleep. And with sleep came dreams.

_There was a house. Aiko noticed that she wasn't moving but that it was moving towards her. As it got closer a meadow started to materialize all around her with a Sakura orchard near the house. A flash of light.She was inside the house. In the kitchen, the stove was off to the side when you walked into the room with the sink and cabinets straight ahead. Above the sink there was a window that looked out at the orchard. She menovered herself around the house untill she came to a room. She opened the door to a room with rich plum colored walls and black shelves and black molding around the door. There was a bed off to the left side of the room. It had black main pillows with purple throw pillows. It had a plain black comforter, and Aiko ran her hand over the soft cotton matterial. Sitting down she bounced lightly on the beding before she got back up quickly to look at the vanity across from it. It had a mirror and when she looked at her reflection she gasped. She was older, not like old, old, but at least 16 or 17. Her face was longer, and her facial lines were softer but not much. Her eyes were a deep navy bluish-black and her hair still had pink streeks. She felt a soft breeze come at her from her left and she turned to see another window, this one also facing the sakura orchard. She could hear voices and the sound of laughter. As she looked out, could see two little girls playing Hide 'n Seek, with two men in fishnet shirts and black paints with white socks. Another seemed to be praying under one tree, and another in stitches, sleeping right above him. Not to far from where the two girls were, was a sight that she thought would make her cry. Her father sitting against a tree and tightly in his grasp was none other than her mother, Sakura. She was shocked out of her trance when two arms snaked around her waist. She soon felt hot breath on her ear, as someone whispered to her._

"_The blossoms sure are beautiful this year... just like you."_

Aiko woke with a start. 'That was so weird, I knew it was a dream yet somehow...' her thought was cut short when she heard knocking at her door. Getting out of bed, she padded over to the door and opened it slightly.

"Hello?"

"Hi!" It was him again, the one with the orange mask.

"Oh...It's you. What do you want?" she asked awkwardly.

"Well, your dad sent me up here to bring you down for lunch."

"Oh. Right."

She closed the door and slipped on her shoes. Opening it back up, she stepped out into the hall where he was waiting for her. When he saw she was ready he turned and lead her down the hallway. They walked in an uncomfortable silence, untill he stopped.

"Hey, I just want to say sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to scare you...ok maybe a little, but not that much! So, do you think we can start over?" he asked turning to look at her.

"Um, sure." she said a little hesitently.

"Right then, I'm Tobi!" He said with a smile in his voice, holding out his hand.

Hse hesitated, but only for a moment. If she was gonna make new friends, she might as well start with him.

"Aiko." she said, taking his hand. He didn't seem to be very old, so she wondered what connection he would have with her father, and why did he wear a mask all the time?

Oh well, guess she would find out soon enough.

**Ok, just try and guess who the person behind her was!! Well, guess what! YOU WON'T FIND OUT 'TILL THE SEQUAL!! And yes, as soon as I'm done with this fic, I will start on it's sequal called "All Grown Up" I might change the title but whatever! And Stuff So...**

**Ja ne**

**Yuiitsu**


	10. Coffee

ok, so here's the next chapter, I ment to update sooner, but Gods, those Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests are HORRIBLE

**sooooooooo, so, so, so, so, sorry! I nerver ment to be this late! Well let's just get to it shall we, this one will be a bit longer just for you guys. ;)**

**Song of the Day!!- "This is the Story of a Girl"(Aiko's theme song!!)- Nine Days**

**Quote of the Day!!- "She's gone. She gave me a pen, I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen."- Say Anything**

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE! DISCRETION IS ADVISED!(one word- Hidan, lol)**

Chapter !)

Coffee with a side of Introductions!

Aiko walked into the kitchen behind Tobi. At the time, only three people were sitting at the table: Itachi-ahem-her dad, a blond man, and across from him, an oddly blue-skinned, shark-like man. Her father was sitting next to the shark man so she took the seat across from him, next to the blond and Tobi took the seat next to her.

Itachi looked up from his coffee and gave her an almost unnoticable smile.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" he asked, the smile slipping casually off his face.

"Yeah, it was alright." she said. Then she remembered the dream she had. It had seemed so real. She quickly pushed it to the back of her mind.

"Would you like some lunch?" The blond asked from beside her.

"Oh, yes please! And...do- do you think it'd be alright if I had some coffee?" She asked, looking back toward her father.

Itachi raised an eyebrow at her.

"Does your mother usually let you drink coffee?" He asked, because in all honesty it really did sound like something Sakura would do without so much as a second thought.

"Yeah, usually in the mornings to help me wake up," she said, turning her head down to look at the hands in her lap. "I- I'm not usually a morning person."

He looked at her, smiling inwardly. She was their child after all.

"Well, I can't say that you get it from just her, I'm not really a morning person myself." He said grabbing a cup out of the cabinet and filling it with the black liquid. "Do you you like cream and sugar?"

"No, just black please."

He raised his eyebrow at her.

"Hn."

'Really, what _had_ Sakura been teaching their daughter?' he smirked, but the smirk vanished as he turned around.

Setting the coffee on the table in front of her, he sat down across from her.

"Blah! How can you stand that stuff without sugar or even cream, yeah! Besides, what are you? 7 years old!"

"I'm 11, thank you very much!"

"See? It stunts your growth too, yeah!"

"Why do you keep saying 'yeah'?"

The blond blushed at the question.

"It's-it's a speech problem, ok?!" he shouted.

"Deidara..." Itachi growled from behind closed eyes. "I would prefer it if you would stop shouting at her."

Aiko gasped.

"You're Deidara!"

"Yeah, why?"

"Mama talked about you all the time! You were best friends, weren't you?"

"Well...yeah! I guess we were!" He said, suddenly grinning.

The shark like man suddenly spoke up.

"We all were. I'm Kisame."

"Oh, yeah, she mentioned you quite a few times! And Hidan and Kakuzu, too!"

"Oi, who called our fucking names!!"

"In here, yeah!"

A man with silver hair and a blue cloak walked in followed by a man with a mask covering the bottom half of his face and a white hood covering the top of his head.

"Hey, who's the brat?"

Itachi glared at Hidan.

"The 'brat' of whom you speak, would be my daughter."

Hidan's pinkish eyes widened as he bent forward to get a better look at her.

"No shit!" He laughed, "She looks just like you! Well...other than the fact that she's a she, and I can't imagine you getting pink streaks for the world! Fuck...so this is you and Sakura's kid, huh? What's her name?"

Aiko couldn't help but blink at his language. Until, that is, she herd him ask her name.

"My name is Aiko." she said softly catching his attention.

Hidan stared at her for a few seconds, before straightening himself back up while symotaniously running a hand through his slick hair.

"Well, shit. Anyway I'm fucking tired as hell, I'm going to bed."

"Tobi." Tobi turned towards Itachi when he herd his name called. "Take Aiko outside for a walk I will be there shortly."

Tobi nodded his head, and turned toward Aiko.

"Come on, I'll show you the garden!" He said cheerfully.

They walked out into a little court yard with a cobblestone floor. Boardering the whole inside wall was a vairiety of vines and flowers. In the middle sat a small glass patio table with a couple of whitewash rodiron chairs.

Tobi took a seat in one of the chairs and Aiko took the other one. It was just about two o' clock, and the sun cast the perfect shadow on the courtyard.

They sat in compatable silence for a while until Aiko spoke up.

"Hey Tobi, how old are you?"

He looked at her and, though she could not see it through his mask, she could tell he was confused.

"It's just that you act so much younger than the others, I was just wondering how someone like you could have come to know my father."

"...Well, I joined the Akatsuki when I was about 13, about a year later you were born, so now I'm..." he counted on his fingers. "I'm 23!"

"Oh... Hey, what's Akatsuki?"

"It was an organization that we were all in. Our goal was to take the world into our own hands, some did it for more power, other did it to make the world better. Like your dad and I."

"Oh."

They both looked up when they saw Deidara walk in the door. He glanced at Aiko then spoke to Tobi in a low voice.

"Tobi," he nodded at Aiko.

"Aiko stay here, ok. I'll be back." He walked out of her hearing distance.

"Hiden and Kakuzu have just brought back news on some Trackers. Itachi wants you to take Aiko back to her room and keep her there. Then go pack your things, we have to leave now, yeah!"

He nodded his head once as Deidara turned and started back down the hall.

Tobi turned around and rushed towards Aiko. She looked up, shocked when he was suddenly at her side.

"What's going on? What did he say?"

"We have to go, ok." He said grabbing her hand.

Starting down the hall towards their rooms, he rushed as fast as he could. There was no mistaking the sence of urgency in Deidara's voice.

Quickly opening the door to her room, Tobi ushered her into her room.

"Tobi, what is going on?"

"I can't explain just yet, just stay here, ok. I promise I'll be right back."

"Ok, sure."

And sure enough, 5 min. after he had left he was back with a small backpack slung over his shoulder. He walked over to her bed and sat down. Sitting next to him she looked up and gave him a worried look.

"Don't worry, it'll be alright."

Then came a knock at the door. Tobi hooped up and hurriedly scrambled to unlock the door. As soon as he got it open, Itachi walked through.

"We need to hurry. Tobi do you think you can carry Aiko on your back."

He nodded once, and suddenly Itachi was practically in his face.

"If you drop her I swear it's the last mistake you'll ever make." He said through clunched teeth.

Gulping, Tobi nodded his head franticly.

"Right then," He said slowly backing away. "Let's go."

**There. I think that was fair enough. I'll try to update faster, I PROMISE!**

**Ja ne!**

**Yuiitsu Sakka**


	11. With Her Father

Ok so yeah, just got some new inspiration, so enjoy

**Ok so yeah, just got some new inspiration, so enjoy.**

**Song of the day: "Kryptonite"- 3 Doors Down**

**Quote of the day: "Just try and make me."- Me**

Chapter !!

With Her Father.

Aiko remembered falling asleep sometime after they had left. She was unusually tired.

She had been jostled awake a few times, but fell back to sleep shortly after.

Itachi looked behind him at his daughter on Tobi's back. She was very precious to him and just the thought of something happening to her made him glare angrily at nothing. He would take her to see her mother one last time and then take her away with him to focus on her training.

When they arrived they all stood outside the house, Itachi in the lead and Tobi standing next to him with Aiko in his arms.

Sakura stood there in the kitchen with dried tears on her face. Aiko had been missing for over 24 hours now. She was about ready to go out and look for her herself. She could understand what it was like to have your best friend leave you all alone in the world, not to mention...the one you loved the most.

New tears formed in her eyes, now they were both gone.

Suddenly, Sakura's form went rigid as she sensed a hauntingly familiar chakra right outside. Slowly, she made her way to the front door. Her heart felt like it wanted to escape from her chest. As she opened the door slowly, she looked out to see six cloaked figures standing on her front lawn, one of them holding Aiko. Then, all at once, they took off their hoods, confirming her fears.

There he was. After all these years there he was. Itachi. She walked up to him, tears poring out of her eyes as she looked into his. When she finally reached him, she had a feeling that he knew exactly what was coming next. Suddenly, Itachi had flown across the clearing and hit a tree. Sakura was there instantly, pounding her fists on his chest, mercilessly. Blow after blow, with each one she let out a small cry that explained all the pain she had suffered more than words ever could. Finally, after what seemed like a hundred blows to his chest she collapsed on him. He took her into his arms and hugged her close to him. As he lowered them both to the ground he nuzzled her neck affectionately.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I would have never done it if I had thought there was any other way. I'm so sorry." He whimpered into her ear. It had hurt him to hurt her. Worse than any blow anyone could inflict on him.

"I missed, you. I missed you so much. I thought you were..." she couldn't even bring herself to say it.

"I know. You have raised our daughter beautifully, I'm so proud of you both."

He squeezed her tighter as if trying to infuse them together so they could never be separate again. He pulled away to examine her tear ridden face, so that he would never forget it.

"I must ask you something."

She nodded her head, not trusting her voice to answer successfully.

"I wish to take Aiko away with me, will you allow that?"

She was suddenly filled with great shock and sorrow. Aiko was her only daughter, and without her she was alone. Then again, Aiko had been without her father for her entire life. She deserved a chance with him. Closing her eyes, she nodded her head.

Smiling, he hugged Sakura close to him again. Then they both felt a warm body snuggle between them. Looking down they both saw their daughter smiling up at them.

"Kaa-san please don't be sad, Tou-san is alive now! You don't have to cry anymore."

Sakura smiled and looked back up at Itachi.

"Your right Aiko, make sure he stays that way while you're with him, k."

Aiko grinned wide with delight at being able to stay with her father.

"Well isn't this sweet." Someone behind them drawled.

Suddenly both her Mother and Father tensed at the sound. Slowly standing up, Itachi turned to the sound.

"It's been awhile, foolish little brother."

**Short, I know, but I thought this would be a good place to end the chapter. Besides, I'm on another one right now.**

**And in response to Malbro Kings comment: Ichiro is just a character that I made up for the story. He's Hinata and Gaara's son and Aiko's first love. Sadly, he dies after an accident.**

**Well, I better get working on that next chapter before my inspiration disappears and a mob is sent after me, heheh...**

**Ja ne!**

**Yuiitsu**


	12. Owari

SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY

**SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY-SORRY!!**

**My sincerest apologies to my fans for the delay of this chapter!! My laziness is inexcusable, I know. Please feel free to start throwing random heavy objects at my head. TT**

**Song of the Day: "I Don't Love You"- My Chemical Romance**

**Chapter !**

**Owari**

Black eyes stared into red. This time though, it was Sasuke with his Sharengan turned on.

There was a long silence as the two brothers just stared at each other. Then Sasuke broke the silence.

"I knew it. I knew you just couldn't, even just this once, lie down and stay dead."

Itachi rose to his feet, his hand still in Sakura's as he stepped slightly forward in defense.

"I always was stubborn like that."

"Sasuke..." Both brothers turned their gaze to Sakura's form, still on the ground.

"...please, just leave us alone. We used to be friends, now I'm asking you as my friend, please."

Sasuke's gaze softened. He remembered back to the times when they _were_ friends. Before Orochimaru, before all the fights they had as enemies, before the countless attempts to try to bring him back. In the end, he had finally made a deal with Naruto to help him in exchange for him coming back. Which brought him back to the subject at hand. Itachi. He had killed his family _and_ stolen Sakura away from him! And she had willingly gone with him and made that bastard a FATHER!!

Seething rage boiled in his veins as he clenched his fist. No, he would not forgive them, he wouldn't let him go.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Sakura. And if you'll try to stop me," he slipped the Kunai in his sleeve into his hand "Then I'll kill you too!"

He through the kunai at her, but it was blocked by Itachi who moved to guard her, more effectively. Growling in frustration, Sasuke pulled his katana out of it's sheath on his back, aiming it directly at Itachi's heart. Running full speed at them, katana in hand, he was barely able to register the fact that his young niece had moved in front of her parents in an attempt to save them, screaming.

"NO, UNCLE DON'T DO IT!!"

There was a sickening scream from Sakura as the blood splattered on the ground from the wound. Aiko's eyes were tightly closed. Blood, there was so much blood that she could practically taste it in her mouth. Yet...she felt no pain. Was she dead already?

She opened her eyes, only to notice that she was surrounded in black. Now that she thought about it, she very well could be dead, but did being dead always have this heavy feeling? She felt as if she had a full grown man laying on her. Suddenly she felt the weight being pulled off as her surroundings came into full view.

She wasn't dead. She wasn't even hurt. Then... who? As the man was pulled off of her, she caught a glimpse of orange as blood dripped onto her face from the underneath the mask.

'No...no, no, no!' she thought as she scrambled out from underneath her friend. She quickly knelt by his side as he was lowered to the ground by her father.

"Tobi, oh Tobi, why did you do it! What the hell were you thinking?!" Sakura should have scolded her daughter for her language, but right now she could really care less.

"I...made... a promise."

Aiko looked at him in shock.

"...What?"

"I promised... that I would protect you."

Tears welled up in her eyes.

"What the hell good is a promise like that if you're DEAD?!"

She broke into sobs on his blood soaked chest, and he laid a hand softly on her head. Another friend was dying and it was all her fault... again. This realization only made her cry harder.

Sakura knelt beside her broken daughter and her wounded friend.

"Aiko, it's okay. Go to your father now." She said this softly while trying to pursuade her daughter, physically, to separate from the bleeding man. Eventually, she obediently got up and moved to where her father stood.

Sakura knelt over Tobi's body and spoke to him softly.

"Tobi, you were very brave. Thank you for saving my daughter."

"I'm just glad I made it in time, Miss Sakura. I admit, I was scared that I wouldn't."

Sakura smiled at the name.

"Honestly, Tobi. I think we can move past the 'Miss' can't we?"

"I would never dream of it, Miss Sakura!" He said in mock apall, but soon regretted it as a wave of pain washed over his body.

"Sorry, let me fix that."

She closed her eyes as she placed her hands over his wound. After a little bit her hands seemed to glow a beautiful pearlescent blue. After a while, the hole started to close up. A few more minutes later, the wound was completely gone. Tobi sat up and marveled at the hole in his cloak where the wound used to be. Sakura helped him to stand, but he was quickly knocked over when Aiko tackled him.

"Tobi, you're okay! I'm so happy!!" she laughed as she snuggled into his chest.

Tobi laughed with her when suddenly something came to his attention. He held her tightly as she looked up at him.

"Tobi? What's wrong?"

"Where's Sasuke?" his voice was dark and menacing as he looked around.

Itachi stepped forward and threw Sasuke's unconscious body onto the ground.

"I knocked him out cold."

Sighing in relief, Tobi's grip on Aiko slackened but she still held him tightly as she glared at her uncle. That bastard tried to kill her parents, and almost killed her and Tobi!

"Okaa-san, was he the one who tried to kill Otou-san?"

Sakura looked at her in slight shock, then looked down.

"Yes, he tried to kill your father."

"...I knew there was a reason I hated him."

Her father chuckled.

Tobi stood with Aiko in his arms. Itachi turned to Sakura.

"Do you think it's safe for you to stay here anymore?"

Sakura seemed to think for a second, then nodded.

"I don't think I really have anything to fear just yet. Soon, maybe, but not just yet. Eventually, I will go with you, but right now it would look too suspicious."

Itachi nodded with a pained longing expression in his eyes and quickly captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

When Tobi and Aiko saw this Aiko giggled and Tobi blushed and quickly turned around so as to shield the young girl from the 'adult situation'.

Itachi broke the kiss and hugged her to him.

"I don't want to leave you again." he whispered painfully into her ear.

"It's okay. This time you're taking our daughter with you." she whispered back.

"But you'll be alone."

"As long as I know you two are alright, I'll never be alone," she said, pulling away.

"So write often!" she hit him in the arm playfully and gave him a smile.

He wiped away the stray tear that managed to escape the stonghold that was her shimmering eyes. He gave her another light kiss and smiled.

"My Sakura is so strong."

"I know. I love you, my Itachi."

"I love you, my Sakura."

He backed away fully and followed Tobi back to the rest of the group, who sat there in shock at what had just occured before their eyes. They soon recovered when they noticed they were about to leave.

Aiko waved goodbye to her mother from the safety of Tobi's arms.

"Be good Aiko, I love you!"

She nodded, and they each jumped one by one into the trees, leaving Tobi with Aiko and Itachi to linger just a bit longer before they too jumped after the rest.

Sakura sighed as she held herself. Never before had she felt so lonely.

"But I'm not alone," she said, shaking herself.

"As long as they're alive," she looked to the full moon. "Be safe."

Somewhere on the outskirts of the village, Itachi stared at the same moon, hoping that she would be alright.

_Owari_

**I think I can end it there. BUT DO NOT DESPAIR!! I will put up an epilogue and then... THE SEQUEL!! **

**Till Then!**

**Ja Ne!**

**Yuiitsu**


	13. Epilogue

And here is your epologue, as promised

**And here is your epilogue, as promised...**

**Song of the Day: "Move Along"- The All American Rejects**

**Quote of the Day: "All good thing must come to an end."– Unknown (to me anyway)**

**Chapter 13**

**Epilogue**

Aiko stood in her hotel room, silently watching the rain patter on the window while she softly stroked the head of her Crow, Noir on the window sill. It had been five years since she left that wretched village and all its painful memories, five years since she had found her father.

She still wore his head band around her neck. She would have her own, but she had gone away with her father just a few months before she would have started at the academy.

"Hmph, good thing, too." Noir gave a caw and fluttered to perch on her shoulder. She sighed. Today would mark the fifth anniversary of Ichiro's death.

"What's a good thing?" Someone called from the doorway.

She turned, "Oh, nothing."

Walking to him, he kneeled and kissed her hand.

"Do you have to do that every time?" she chuckled.

"Yes, but don't tell your father that. I'm lucky he let me be your guard," he said with a smile.

She laughed.

"Yeah, be it my hand or my lips, he'd still have a fit."

As they moved down the hall she glanced to her right.

"You know, I really glad you decided to take that mask off, Tobi."

He smiled.

"Anything for you, Aiko."

**And so the Sequel begins...**


End file.
